Everything you need to know to sail from Melbourne this cruising season.
The summer 2018/19 cruising season in Australia runs from October 2018 to April 2019. This is high season for cruises departing Australia's major ports, including Melbourne's Station Pier.
Bookings are already well underway with popular sailings already sold out, though there are still plenty available.
Here’s where you can go, which liners can take you there and the best deals that can save you big bucks this cruising season.
Top Melbourne cruise deals
Places you can cruise to from Melbourne
Ships departing from Melbourne travel around the nation as well as to New Zealand and South Pacific islands such as Fiji, Vanuatu and Noumea.
Itineraries range from 3-night sample cruises to longer 14-day Pacific island cruises.
What cruise lines leave from Melbourne?
Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises are the main cruise lines that depart from Melbourne. This season, the ships offering voyages from Melbourne are:
- Golden Princess (Princess Cruises)
- Pacific Jewel (P&O Cruises)
- Pacific Eden (P&O Cruises)
- Carnival Legend (Carnival Cruises)
Cunard Cruise Line’s Queen Elizabeth 2 is also scheduled to make one sailing in February 2018 to Kangaroo Island.
Cruises from Melbourne around Australia
Australian cruises are ideal for those on budget or time constraints who still want to set sail on the seas. Short, 2- to 3-day sample cruises are also a great way to find your sea legs and fall in love with cruising. They take you to another city or out into open water and then back to Melbourne.
Sample cruises start at $232 per person based on Melbourne to Sydney sailing in a two-person cabin with P&O Cruises. Other short cruises offer 2-night one-way trips to Adelaide, 3-night return trips to Wilson’s Promontory, 4-night return trips to Hobart and 4-night return trips to Eden.
Longer cruises can take you to South Australia (stopping at Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln) and Tasmania (stopping at Wineglass Bay, Port Arthur, Hobart and Adelaide).
Cruise lines that offer sailings around Australia from Sydney are:
- Carnival Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- P&O Cruises
Our top picks for Australian cruises from Melbourne
4-day Weekend Sampler on Carnival Cruises from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 4-day scenic cruise from Melbourne return on Carnival Legend
- This is an open ocean sail and doesn't call into any ports
- Various sailings from March - November 2018
Kangaroo Island cruise with P&O from Flight Centre - Cruises
Highlights:
- 4-nights cruise on Pacific Jewel
- Calls in at Kangaroo Island
- Departs December 2018
Tasmania cruise with P&O from Flight Centre - Cruises
Highlights:
- Sail to Tasmania and back on Pacific Jewel
- Calls in at Burnie, Port Arthur and Kangaroo Island
- Departs on December 2018
Cruises from Melbourne to New Zealand
Visiting our neighbours by cruise ship affords you a different way to see and explore the land. Itineraries can be one-way or return and usually call into Fiordland National Park, Dunedin, Akaroa, Gisborne, Tauranga, Stewart Island and Wellington.
Return itineraries start from 11 nights and are priced from $1,319 per person based on twin-share with P&O Cruises.
Cruise lines that offer sailings to New Zealand from Melbourne are:
- Carnival Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- P&O Cruises
Our top New Zealand cruise picks
Melbourne to Auckland cruise with P&O from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 5-night cruise on Pacific Jewel
- This is an open ocean sail and doesn't call into any ports
- Departs on April 2019
Cruises to the Pacific Islands, including New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji
Island hop across the South Pacific and see all it has to offer with a dedicated Pacific islands cruise. Many itineraries are return trips and visit Noumea, Luganville, Port Vila, Mystery Island, Champagne Bay, Lifou Isle, Isle of Pines, Mare and Noumea.
Return itineraries start from 12 nights and are priced from $1,330 per person based on twin-share with P&O Cruises.
Cruise lines that offer sailings to the Pacific islands from Melbourne are:
- Carnival Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- P&O Cruises
- Holland America Line
Top Pacific island cruises
Tasmania cruise with P&O from Flight Centre - Cruises
Highlights:
- Sail to Tasmania and back on Pacific Jewel
- Calls in at Burnie, Port Arthur and Kangaroo Island
- Departs on December 2018
Fiji cruise with Princess Cruises from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 14-night cruise on Golden Princess
- Roundtrip from Melbourne
- Calls in at Maré, Port Vila, Lautoka, Neiafu and Nouméa
- Departs on November 2019
World and Asian cruises
Select larger cruise liners offer sailings from Melbourne further into Asia often as part of a larger world cruise.
Some liners scheduled to sail through Melbourne onward include Cunard Cruise Line’s Queen Mary 2, which departs for Hong Kong on 22 February 2018.
Where do cruises leave from in Melbourne?
Luxury cruises depart from Station Pier in Port Melbourne, which is approximately three kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD. From the CBD you can take the 109 tram service direct to the terminals.
From Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport you can catch the regular Skybus service to Melbourne's main Southern Cross Station where you can connect onto the 109 tram.
Melbourne airport-to-cruiseport transfers
Taxis, uber and shuttle services operate between Tullamarine Airport and Station Pier. Shuttle services dedicated to meeting cruises at Station Pier include Airport Shuttle Bus and Gull.
Services into the city start from $18.24 for a shared service and from $127 for a private transfer. The transfers below are to Melbourne CBD. From there you can transfer to Station Pier by tram, taxi or uber.
Melbourne private transfer
Viator
Melbourne International and Domestic Airport Shuttle
Viator
Melbourne Airport shuttle
Viator
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